Soups are topmost in comforting dishes for most people. Today’s Potato Chowder gets 100 marks in comfort and is also a full meal in itself, since potato takes care of those carbs too
A chowder is a thick chunky vegetable or seafood soup (Potato Chowder is my favourite) that is usually white sauce based. It ogriginated in New England, North America was actually a dish brought about by the fishermen with only seafood or wary sailors with very limited food they had in hand.
It is usually a thick cream or milk-based soup with chunks of vegetables like potato, carrots or corn. The cooking liquid is usually stock, thickened with flour and milk, seasoned with salt and pepper and herbs. Its a very simple but hearty, nutritious soup.
You can top it with fried bacon, cheddar cheese, spring onions, crispy fried shallots, sauteed mushrooms or even some hot sauce for that extra heat.
COVID LOCKDOWN THOUGHTS
Day 14 of the self-isolation today, which means it marks two weeks of being at home. I think the only time I have been home for so long was when I was pregnant or in postpartum. Everyone at my house is actually surprised that I haven’t lost it till now. Honestly, every day I feel I will lose it today and every day I somehow survive.
Today, half a day went fine mostly. The usual Monday madness! About half a dozen emails to respond to, dishwasher to load, clothes to be washed, garden to be watered. It is so strange that home chores never end. In the past 14 days that is the thing in my mind the most. How efficiently does my household help run my house that I don’t even know about these one million tasks?
And then in the afternoon, I read saw the video of UP migrant workers being sprayed down with chemicals to cleanse them. It is probably the most horrific thing I have seen in a while. So much holocaust feels that it is sending shivers down my spine. I feel a strange mix of shame, fear and anger right now. And that was the end of the *routine* day for me. Haven’t been able to focus on anything at all after that.
What are these times we are living in? Why are we so disgusting and selfish? Tonight will be a night of a stiff single malt. These days that is the only thing getting me through this shit!
And now for today’s recipe. If you make this, share a picture with me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook? I would love to hear what you have to say about it.
Potato Chowder: A comforting soup for Day 14 of COVID Isolation
Ingredients
- 2 no Potatoes
- 2 no Onion
- 1 no Carrot
- 2 cups Veg stock or water with a stock cube or just plain water
- 2 Bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- Black pepperto taste
- 2 tsp all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Peel potato and carrot and cut into small cubes, so that it cooks faster. Or if you are a person that doesn't like chopping, don't bother just roughly cut them up. Finely chop onions
- Heat a pan with olive oil, add onions and saute until translucent. Add the carrot, potato, bay leaves and saute for a few minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil, Mix flour with milk and add it to the pot and bring it up to a boil. At this stage, stir it well!
- Cover and cook until the potato and carrot are fully cooked. Remove from heat, let it cool down. If you have an immersion blender, then you can do the next step without it fully cooling.
- Take out half the quantity of soup and puree it in a blender. Also, remove the bay leaves before pureeing the soup. Add the soup back to the pot with a little more water or stock depending the consistency of the soup.
- Season to taste and serve hot with your favourite toppings.
perfect comfort food.